Welsh business visits Downing Street ahead of Small Business Saturday

Bridgend based Airpix Aerial Images attended an event in Downing Street on Thursday to celebrate the fifth annual Small Business Saturday.

One of the small businesses selected for the event, Airpix Aerial Images combines nature with state of the art technology – providing aerial filming to capture the beautiful coastlines and valleys of Wales.

The business also provides services in industries ranging from surveying, to construction and engineering.

Airpix Aerial Images’ founder, Jeremy Laugharne, said:

I’m so excited and still flying high about my invitation to 10 Downing Street. SmallBiz100 is a great way for businesses to connect with one another, and share unique and individual ideas. It also helps small businesses develop themselves and get valuable exposure.

The UK has 5.7 million small businesses and last year customers spent £717 million with small firms on Small Business Saturday alone.

The businesses were welcomed by Stephen Barclay, Economic Secretary to the Treasury and Baroness Fairhead CBE, Minister of State at the Department for International Trade.

Stephen Barclay said:

It’s been great to welcome so many business owners to Number 10 to show our appreciation for the crucial contribution they make to Britain.

Small businesses are vital to a thriving and competitive economy that is fit for the future, so it’s great to see that the number of small businesses in the UK has been growing in recent years. We hope the country will join us in championing the UK’s small businesses, and support them this Saturday.

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, which remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK as part of its on-going commitment to encourage consumers to shop small. The campaign also benefits from the backing of leading business organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses and Enterprise Nation.

Small Business Saturday takes place on the first Saturday in December each year, but the campaign aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses. In 2017 Small Business Saturday is on Saturday, December 2nd.